Level of water stress: freshwater withdrawal as a proportion of in South Africa
South Africa: Level of water stress: freshwater withdrawal as a proportion of was 67.6% in 2023. ▲ Rising
Level of water stress: freshwater withdrawal as a proportion of in South Africa, 2000–2023
Source: United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database.
Analysis
In 2023, level of water stress: freshwater withdrawal as a proportion of in South Africa stood at 67.6%. That is the highest value across all 24 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 15.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, level of water stress: freshwater withdrawal as a proportion of in South Africa peaked at 67.6% in 2022 and was at its lowest, 31.9%, in 2000.
That places South Africa 28th out of 196 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 24 years of available data.
Level of water stress: freshwater withdrawal as a proportion of in South Africa, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 31.9% | — |
| 2001 | 36.1% | +13.2% |
| 2002 | 52.0% | +43.9% |
| 2003 | 54.9% | +5.7% |
| 2004 | 47.9% | -12.7% |
| 2005 | 55.0% | +14.9% |
| 2006 | 56.2% | +2.1% |
| 2007 | 56.2% | +0.1% |
| 2008 | 56.5% | +0.4% |
| 2009 | 56.6% | +0.4% |
| 2010 | 55.2% | -2.5% |
| 2011 | 57.8% | +4.7% |
| 2012 | 58.5% | +1.1% |
| 2013 | 58.7% | +0.4% |
| 2014 | 59.1% | +0.7% |
| 2015 | 59.8% | +1.0% |
| 2016 | 61.0% | +2.0% |
| 2017 | 62.1% | +1.8% |
| 2018 | 62.9% | +1.3% |
| 2019 | 64.0% | +1.8% |
| 2020 | 65.0% | +1.5% |
| 2021 | 66.9% | +2.9% |
| 2022 | 67.6% | +1.1% |
| 2023 | 67.6% | +0.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 50.3% | 31.9% | 56.6% | 10 |
| 2010s | 59.9% | 55.2% | 64.0% | 10 |
| 2020s | 66.8% | 65.0% | 67.6% | 4 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
More environment data for South Africa
- Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly 5.46 Percentage change (2025)
- Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly 8.52 Percentage change (2025)
- Standard Deviation, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Standard Deviation 0.275 °C (2025)
- Temperature change 1.05 °C (2025)
- Land area equipped for irrigation — Area, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2024)
- Value Added (Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing) — Value Standard 16.61 % change on previous year (2024)
- Value Added (Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing) — Value Standard 0.0032 million SLC per person (2024)
- Value Added (Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing) — Value US$, annual 17.38 % change on previous year (2024)
- Value Added (Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing) — Value US$, per unit 0 million USD per US$ of GDP (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is level of water stress: freshwater withdrawal as a proportion of in South Africa?
- Level of water stress: freshwater withdrawal as a proportion of in South Africa was 67.6% in 2023, according to United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database.
- What is the highest level of water stress: freshwater withdrawal as a proportion of recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 67.6% in 2022.
- What is the lowest level of water stress: freshwater withdrawal as a proportion of recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 31.9% in 2000.
- How does South Africa rank for level of water stress: freshwater withdrawal as a proportion of?
- South Africa ranks 28th out of 196 countries with data for 2023.
- Is level of water stress: freshwater withdrawal as a proportion of rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 15.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this South Africa data come from?
- The figures come from United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database, published as part of Level of water stress: freshwater withdrawal as a proportion of available freshwater resources (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 24 observations, free to reuse under UN SDG Global Database (open, attribution requested).